Pharmaceutical composition comprising a combination of probiotic and prebiotic to treat stunting

Abstract

The present invention provides a pharmaceutical composition including a probiotic and a prebiotic for treatment of stunting in children. More particularly, the pharmaceutical composition includes at least one Lactobacillus specie(s) as a probiotic and at least one oligosaccharide as a prebiotic. The present invention further provides a method of treatment of stunting including administering an effective amount of a pharmaceutical composition including a probiotic and a prebiotic to children in need thereof.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0001]The present invention relates to a pharmaceutical composition including a probiotic and a prebiotic for treating stunting. More particularly, the present invention relates to a composition including at least one Lactobacillus specie(s) as a probiotic and at least one oligosaccharide as a prebiotic for treating stunting in children. The present invention also relates to methods of treatment of stunting in children.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]Background description includes information that may be useful in understanding the present invention. It is not an admission that any of the information provided herein is prior art or relevant to the presently claimed invention, or that any publication specifically or implicitly referenced is prior art.[0003]Short stature or stunted growth refers to children whose height or rate of height gain is lower than other children of the same age and gender. Stunting is defined as the percentage of children, aged 0 to 59...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present invention provides a pharmaceutical composition that can improve the gut health and immune system of children, as well as promote brain development. The composition includes a probiotic (such as Lactobacillus plantarum strain ATCC202195) and an oligosaccharide (such as fructo-oligosaccharide). The composition can be administered through either an oral or parenteral route and can provide a wide range of health benefits to children including promoting gut maturation, enhancing gut health, protecting against stunting, and supporting natural defences.

Problems solved by technology

Stunting may start from pre-conception in an adolescent girl and who later becomes mother is undernourished and anaemic; it worsens when infants' diets are poor, and when sanitation and hygiene is inadequate.

Children in such countries grow up under poor hygienic conditions, multiple episodes of gastrointestinal infections, with poor nutrition.

This results in suboptimal physical growth, under developed brain, with long-lasting harmful consequences, including diminished mental ability and learning capacity, poor school performance in childhood, reduced earnings and increased risks of nutrition related chronic diseases, such as diabetes, hypertension, and obesity in future.

However, none of these conventional therapeutic agents and methods has produced a visible impact on reducing stunting so far, and each of them have their own limitations and side-effects.

It is difficult to say if these factors separately, in sequence (one after other), or together drive stunting.

This is particularly so, because many of these factors are present in the population that gets high rates of stunting.

So, discerning the difference in terms of their contribution is difficult.

Elegant studies in human children and mice with transfer of stool samples have shown that indeed gut microbiota from sick and stunted children can produce stunting, neural defects, and problems with bone development and growth.

There is derangement of enzymes, but, the most important dysfunction is lower absorption and passage of nutrients out due to inflammation of the intestine by bombardment of with many bacteria from food and drinks in the contaminated environment.